I'm interested in two different speakers. 1) Paradigm Monitor 3 or 2) The new Energy Connoisseur C-3. They will be purchased in a set of four as front and surrounds. Driving them will be a Denon AVR 3802. I've read all of the reviews on the Paradigm and they are spectacular but there's not much written on the Energy’s. They're both priced exactly the same. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help.

Have heard them both and, to my ears, the Paradigms are the better by a significant margin. Less coloration and more dynamic presentation. I'm currently using Paradigm Studio 100v2 for my HT mains, and Studio ADP and CC for surrounds and center, respectively. Well pleased with them for movies; wouldn't be my choice for 2-channel.

I personally don't like the combo of the warm full bodied sound of the Denon with the warm full bodied sound of the monitor 3's!!...That's two warm full bodied sounding compoents = TOO WARM AND FULL BODY SOUNDING! If you had something like a cooler more neutral sounding yamaha or Marantz receiver, I'd suggest the Paradigms over the Energy's likely. I used to deal in the Paradigms and Energy's both. However, the new Energy C3's are just a bit more forward with more treble pressence, and mate very well with warmer gear like the Denon!!! I actually like the slight "matter of factness" that the new Energy C1 and C3's offer, especially with warmish sounding gear or even tubes!(that would sound great with those speakers actually). I've actually had the C1's in my system for a short spell, and I liked em for the money. As for base response, they seemed about the same as equivilent Paradigms, and placement is key anyway for proper bass. Infact my fist placement choice where I had my older speakers was too weak and lean in the bass with the C1 Energy's. But I soon found a more ballanced, tighter fuller bass location by experimenting and trial and error. If it were my money, I'd chose the Engery's over the Pardigms with your receiver. I even prefer the B&W's at the price range to the Paradigms..but that's me, and everyone's different.If it were my money, and I had your Denon receiver, I wouldn't hesitate to use the C3 Energy's in the right set-up, sure! Remember however, room set-up and speaker placment is key in the end. Without proper care here, you can forget getting great sound from ANY gear!Good luck

Paradigm for sure. I auditioned the Energy Veritas series among others (V2.3 mainly) and the Studio 100s and ran with the 100s. They are really impressively warm, balanced, and smooth, bettering the Energy in each department although the Energies were not bad - it is just that the Paradigms are awesome! Their imaging is spectacular, the soundstage is perfect, and vocals make your eyes water. Simply amazing. Paradigm knows what they are doing. Im using McIntosh amp and preamp, Sony ES player with MIT T2 all around.

HeyFunny story about line conditioning actually: I had a Krell KSA100 and there was a constant static white noise eminating from the speaker continuously. It eventually led me to buying a Monster strip conditioner, dedicating the circuit, using a hospital outlet, and playing with cables, but little really changed - the static still present. I could live with it at this point so I forgot about it. When I tried a friend's McIntosh amp however, the noise floor dropped amazingly to the point of noticing the nothingness. It was pure blackness and I love it! Go McIntosh for designing a great power supply. Krell got ditched. I removed the Moster conditioner and still beautiful darkness so I left it out since a simple path is a good path in my book. Take care